Visible record system



June 23, 1931. F, n, pQwELL 1,811,245

VISIBLE RECORD SYSTEM I Filed Jan. s, 195o Patented June 23, 1931 lUNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE FRANK D. POWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO ACME CARD SYSTEM COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A.CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS VISIBLE RECORD 'lYSTEM This invention relates toimprovements in visible record systems, and refers. more particularly toimprovements in visible record -systems of the type in whichdata-containing cards are removably mounted in over lapping relation onhangers,wh1ch hangers are preferably removably mounted 1n a frame.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a visiblerecord system'of the type referred to in which a large number of cardsmay be removably held in one frame; to so mount the cards that they mayoverlap and expose a marginal edge; to provide hangers for the cardswhich will serve to securely hold them in the frame; to permit of theready insertion and removal of the hangers with respect to the frame; toprovide for the removable engagement.y of the cards with their hangers;to permlt a Ylurality of cards to be mounted on a single hanger; toprovide a construction wherein flat rectangular cards may be employed;to permit of ready access to any card, or cards in the series; to permitof the insertion of a card between other cards already in place and ingeneral' toprovide a visible record system of the type referred to.which can be economically manufactured and rapidly assembled.

A. principal object of the present invention is to provide, in a systemof the type referred to, means for quickly and conveniently mounting acard upon a hanger, the arrangement being such that the web of the frameand the main body portion of the hanger constitute a positive guide'forinserting or threading a hinge attached to a card upon a hanger.

The frames upon which the cards are mounted usually comprise drawers ofa filing cabinet, the drawers or frames being mounted one above theother in spaced relation for independent movement. -Ob viously, thenumber of drawers mountable in a cabinet of a given height will dependupon the depth ofthe drawers, or frames, which in turn is dependent uponthe depth of the cards upon each frame.

y Accordingly, another important object of the present invention.resides in the provision of removable card hangers constructed in'such amanner as to permit of the insertion of a maximum number of4 removablehangers in a frame andyet permit the cards upon the hangers to occupy 'aminimum depth upon the frame.

The invention further resides in various features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter disclosed.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a front elevational view partly in section ofa frame and cards illustrating one application of my invention. 4

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the card hangers.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective illustrating the means formounting a card upon a hanger.

. Referring in detail to the drawings, l indicates a frame consisting ofaweb 2 having flanged edge portions 3 and 4 between which and the webthe ends of the hangers 7 are inserted and held. The frame may beprovided with similar flanges (not shown) on the opposite side of web 2to permit cards and hangers to bemounted upon both faces of the web. Thecards 5 are hinged upon the hangers by means of hinges.

6 formed of metal or other suitable material and are adapted to swing onthese hinges as shown best in Fig. 4.

Each hanger may comprise a length of resilent metal consisting of a mainbody portion 8 having return-bent ends 9 extending inwardly for alimited portion of the length of the hanger. The ends of these returnbetportions may be offset as shown at 10, and preferably bent inwardlytoward the main .body portion 8 so that the ends of the return bends areparallel to the main body portion 8, as shown best at 11 in Fig. 3. Inuse, the ends 12 and 13 of the hanger are inserted beneath the flanges?,and 4 of the frame. This may be done by flexing the body portion 8intermediate its length sufficiently to permit the ends to be insertedbeneath the ianges. The hanger may -then extending transversely acrossthe face of the frame and being contiguous therewith and provided with acard-supporting portion lying in substantially the same plane'as andsubstantially parallel to the main body portion and adgacent the face ofthe frame, said portion being adapted to detachablyl engage the card.

8. The combination with a frame comprising a flat web having spacedguide tlanges on opposite side edges, of means for removably attaching acard to said frame y comprise a hanger having a main body portionextending transversely across the face of the frame between the saidguide flanges, the said body portion being contiguous with and in aplane parallel to the face of the web, and provided with acard-supporting portion lyin in substantially the same plane as the mainody portion and being adjacent to and longitudinally parallel therewith,said portion being adapted to detachably engagle the card.

9. he combination with a frame comprising a at web having spaced guideflanges on opposite side edges, of means for removably attaching a card,to said frame comprising a hanger having a main body portion extendingtransversely across the face of the frame between said guide flanges,the

said body portion being contiguous With'and in a plane parallel to theface of the web and provided with a card-supporting portion lying insubstantially the same plane as the main body portion and parallel tothe face of the frame, and adjacent and longitudinally parallel to thesaid main body portion of the hanger, said portion being adapted todetachably enga e the card.

In testimony whereof I a my signature.

FRANK D. POWELL.

